by C.L. Brown, USA TODAY Sports

by C.L. Brown, USA TODAY Sports

For the third game in a row the Cardinals were locked in a tight contest late, and for the third game in a row they failed to make plays to win.

Just to review, the Cards didn't get a final shot off in their loss to Syracuse and were doomed by missed free throws and turnovers in their loss at Villanova. Now they can add Peyton Siva's missed jumper with six seconds left in a 53-51 loss to Georgetown on Saturday before 17,474 at Verizon Center.

The fifth-ranked Cardinals (16-4, 4-3 Big East) dropped their third game in a row since being ranked No. 1 in both polls one week ago. It's their longest losing streak since they lost to Villanova, at Pittsburgh and at Seton Hall from Jan. 11-21, 2010.

"I've never lost three in a row," Louisville forward Chane Behanan said. "And I'm not trying to go for four."

The Cards had two chances to overtake the Hoyas (14-4, 4-3) while trailing 52-51 with a minute left in the game.

Russ Smith missed a jumper at the top of the key with 34 seconds left. On the rebound, Gorgui Dieng managed to force a held-ball situation with Georgetown's Otto Porter and Louisville maintained possession.

With 29 seconds left, Siva had the ball and Louisville coach Rick Pitino instructed him to hold the ball for one shot.

"Probably on the road, 90% of the time I'll go for the win at that point," Pitino said. "I would rather have the ball than rely on them missing at that crucial point."

Siva was missing throughout the game for Louisville. He sat for all but seven minutes of the first half after getting two fouls. He picked up his fourth foul with 10 minutes left in the game.

There he was with the ball and the clock winding down. Siva opted not to drive coming off a pick from Dieng. When Georgetown's Nate Lubick sagged off of him, Siva launched and missed his second shot attempt of the game.

"I saw Lubick back up, seen the open shot and took it," Siva said. "I came off the pick-and-roll, took a shot; it didn't go in."

Siva was held scoreless for the first time since going 0-1 against Cincinnati in the Big East Tournament during his freshman year.

"I felt at this point Peyton was the freshest player, he hadn't played; he's also the best shooter on the team, a great free throw shooter," Pitino said. "Nobody was really on tonight, per se. He got up a good shot, he got a 15-foot shot, and that's all you can ask."

Louisville had a lead early in the second half when Luke Hancock, one of three Louisville players with 12 points, made back-to-back 3-pointers. His second three was the Cards' last field goal for nearly an eight-minute stretch.

Hancock started for the third time this season and replaced Smith, who did not start for the third time this season.

"Having Russ coming off the bench helps us immensely with getting the other guys in the game so they don't get deflated by not scoring," Pitino said.

But it also seemed to have a stifling affect on Smith. He took three shots in the first half and was hesitant to look for his shot.

"That's what it was really just trying to make the right play, trying to look for guys," Smith said. "I've been very offensively aggressive this season putting up 20 a game, but teams are really shortening everything, just clogging things in. It's really tough, and I have to find other ways to contribute, and coach is helping me with that."

Smith did break free with the Cards facing their biggest second-half deficit, 45-39. He scored six of their next seven on a 9-3 spurt that tied the game at 48 with 5:40 left.

But Georgetown scored consecutive baskets on offensive rebounds including Aaron Bowen's follow shot â?? his only basket of the game â?? where he came under the basket, back to the baseline, and tipped the ball back in like he was shooting a reverse layup.

"I take responsibility on that one; I kind of lost my man," said Blackshear, who joined Dieng and Behanan with seven rebounds each. "I think if I would have grabbed that rebound we would have had the game sealed. It's just mental breakdowns we have and certain mistakes that we're making in a game."

Pitino said he had just pulled Hancock from the lineup the possession prior for missing a blockout on Lubick's follow shot.

"Those type of plays, really when it comes down to it, those are things you can control," Pitino said. "You can't control sometimes Wayne missing a shot or Peyton missing a shot, but you can control blocking out."

Louisville looks to bounce back Monday against Pittsburgh or risk losing control of its season. The Cards have only lost four in a row once, the 2003-04 season, in Pitino's tenure.